Paper clip



Feb. 19, 1957 W. L. HAMMER PAPER CLIP Filed March 3, 1953 r INVENTOR. Mi /A5117 LEE Hammer.

A TTURNE'J" United States Patent Ofilice 2,781,566 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 PAPER CLIP William Lee Hammer, Wauwatosa, Wis.

Application March 3, 1953, Serial No. 340,081

4 Claims. (Cl. 24-66) This invention relates to bent wire paper clips and more particularly to an expandable type wherein the gripping pressure of a pair of superimposed clamping members is materially increased with the increased'thickness of the stack of papers being held.

While numerous forms of bent wire paper clips are now in common use, the vast majorityvof these clips fail'to provide means for increasing their gripping pressure as the thickness of the stack of paper is increased. In virtually all instances bent wire paper clips, now in common use, are provided with a closed end which is neither designed nor intended to provide an expandable means capable of maintaining the required gripping prmsure and at the same time materially increasing the capacity of the clip to accommodateeither a few sheets or a thick stack of paper with equal facility. Furthermore,t he gripping pressure of the usual bent wire paper clip is materially reduced as the thickness of the stack 'of paper approaches the normal maximum capacity of the clip.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved expandablebent wire paper clip capable of increasing its gripping pressure as the thickness of the stack of paper is increased.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved expandable bent wire paper clip having a materially increased capacity range.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved expandable bent wire paper clip including a pair of superimposed clamping members joined at one end by a coil spring.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of an expandable bent wire paper clip including a pair of superimposed clamping members which are joined at one end by a coil spring which is expandable to increase the pressure of the clamping members in response to increased thickness of the stack of paper to which the clip is applied.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved expandable bent wire paper clip including a coil spring having its opposite ends extended to form a pair of cooperating superimposed clamping members normally urged toward each other through the action of the coil spring.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved expandable bent wire paper clip wherein the coil spring, forming the closed end of the clip, alfords a simple and elfective means for gripping the clip to effect its application to and removal from a stack of paper.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved expandable bent wire paper clip including a pair of superimposed clamping members projecting from the opposite ends of a yieldable coil spring wherein one leg of one of the clamping members includes a V-shaped bend to form an addi tional yieldable tensioning means adapted to increase the clamping pressure between the clamping members as the thickness of the stack of paper is increased.

altering the desired effective relationship of its several parts.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiments of the present invention. 1

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an expandable bent wire paper clip constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the clip shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the clip, the dotted line showing indicating the position of the clamping members when the clip is applied to a normally thick stack of paper; the dot-dash line showing indicating the position of the clamping members when the clip is applied to an unusually thick stack of paper;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of' expandable bent wire paper clip wherein one leg of one of the clamping members includes a V-shaped vertical bend to provide additional yieldable means for exerting the desired pressure between the clamping members of the clip;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the clip shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the clip, shown in Fig. 4, with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the position and form of the V-bend in one leg of one of the clamping members; the dotted line showing indicates the position of the clamping members of the clip when the same is applied to a normally thick stack of paper; while the dot-dash line showing in this figure indicates the deflection of both the coil. spring portion and V-bend portion of the clip when l8. materially thicker stack of paper is clipped; and v Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the clip, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The paper clip, chosen for illustrative purposes in Figs. l-3 of the accompanying drawing, embodying the teachings of the present invention, comprises a single piece of spring wire bent in a manner to provide a paper clip 10 provided with .a coil spring 11 positioned at one of its ends. The coil spring 11 includes a plurality of turns of wire having its axis disposed in a vertical plane. Superimposed upper and lower paper gripping or clamping members 12 and 13, respectively, extend outwardly from the ends of the coil spring 11. The upper clamping member 12 includes a leg 14 formed by projecting the upper end of the coil spring 11 outwardly, forming a reverse bend 15 at its outer end and terminating in a second leg 16 disposed in parallel spaced relationship with the other leg and having its free end disposed adjacent the coil spring 11. The lower clamping member 13 includes a leg 17 formed by projecting the lower end of the coil spring outwardly for a distance somewhat greater than that of the upper member 12, forming a reverse bend 18 at its outer extremity and terminating the same in a leg 19 disposed in parallel spaced relationship with the leg 17.

In Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing, it will be noted that the width of the lower clamping member 13 is somewhat wider than that of the upper clamping member 12. With this arrangement, it will readily be understood that the clamping action between the members 12 and 13 insure against any canting of the clip 10 when it is applied to a stack of paper regardless of the thickness of the stack. Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the upper clamping member 12 is directed downwardly adjacent the coil spring 11 so that the forward portion of the member 12 lies between the legs 17 and 19 of the lower clamping member 13. This arrangement of the clamping members 12 and 13 insures the establishment of immediate gripping pressure between the mem-. bers 12 and 13 upon the application of the clip to even a single sheet of paper. The upwardly and downwardly turned reverse bends and 18,,respectively, 'of the clamping members 12 and 13' serve to facilitatethe, application of the clip, 10 to a stack of paper. Itwill, also be noted that the dotted line showing illustrates the relative position of the several parts of the clip. 10 when it is applied to a relatively thick stack of paper. The dot-dash showing illustrates the yielda'bility provided by the coil spring 11 which makes, it. possible for the. clip 10 to accommodate a thick stack. of papers without resulting in undue deformation or twisting. ofthe. clip.

Theformatipn of the bent-wire. paper clip 10; 151 such that the coil spring portion ll'proy-ides a simple and etfective means for gripping the clip. to facilitate .its application to or removal from a stack of paper.

A slightly modified form of expandablev bent wire paper clip l l l"; shown in Fig 47 inclusive. of: the;draw-. ing, is constructed in a manner similar to the; form: of the, invention previously described. Itshouldrbmuoted, however, that the leg 14 of; the upper clampingm'ember 12' of the clip 10 includes a vertically disposed l -bend 20. The V-bend is located adjacent the coil spring 11' and near the base of the leg 14'. The V-bend 20 provides. an additional yieldable means for maintaining the upper clamping member 1 2: in pressure contacted with the upper surface of a stack of paper.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawing, it will be noted that the V-bend. 20 cooperates With the yieldable coil spring 11 to maintain the clamping members 12' and'13 in full surface contact with any stack of paper providing the thickness of the stack is within the capacity of the clip 10.

From the foregoing description of the forms of the expandable bent wire paper clip shown in the drawings, it will be noted that a simple and etfective paper clip has been provided which, by reason of the inclusion of an expandable coil spring, is self-adjusting to provide an effective means for releasably retaining stacks 'of paper of varied thicknesses, within the limits of the clip, and maintaining the same firmly gripped without effecting a distorting or twisting action to the clip or reducing its gripping pressure.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its embodiments without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1.. A paper clip comprising a-single length of spring wire bent to include an axially expandable coil spring portion forming one end of said clip and a pair of superimposed cooperating U-shaped portions lying in substantially parallel planes disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis of said axially expandable coil spring portion, said superimposed cooperating U-shaped portions forming the other end of said clip, said axially expandable coil spring portion having a diameter substantially equal to the width of said Ueshapedportions, and said U- shaped portions each including one leg formed by extending one of the opposite sides and opposite ends of said axially expandable coil spring portion.

2. A paper clip, as set forth in claim 1, in which one of said substantially parallel superimposed cooperating U-shaped portions is wider and longer than the other of said portions, and said shorter and narrower portion is bent to have its free end disposed within the confines of said wider and longer U-shaped portion.

3. A paper clip, as set forth in claim 1, in which. the free ends of said substantially parallel superimposed cooperating Ushaped portions are bent away from each other to form a mouth to facilitate the application of the clip to a stack of paper.

4. A paper clip, as set forth in claim 1, in which one leg of the said substantially parallel superimposed cooperating U-shaped portion includes an offset portion disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the remainder of the leg, said otfset portion being disposed adjacent said coil spring portion to retain said coil spring portion of the clip in spaced relationship from the marginal edge of a stack of paper to which the clip may be applied. 

